A Virginia man famous for playing Santa Claus spent this summer giving away something far bigger than presents – one of his own kidneys, to someone he’s never met.
Dave Bell, who spends his winters spreading Christmas cheer as Santa Claus across Central Virginia, diligently lost 40 pounds to be eligible to undergo surgery at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital this summer to donate a kidney anonymously.
“I have two of these things, and I only need one,” Dave said. “There’s somebody who has none and they need one.”
The Powhatan resident lost the weight to qualify as a living donor, according to the hospital, before going into surgery knowing he would likely never meet the person receiving his kidney.
“Living kidney donation gives people who need a transplant another possible path to care,” Henrico Doctors’ Hospital said in a statement. “Because the number of kidneys available from deceased donors does not meet the need, living donors can help make transplant possible sooner for some patients.”
“Stories like Dave’s make organ donation feel real and personal,” said Dr. Amanda Bailey, a transplant surgeon at the Virginia Transplant Center at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. “They show that donation is possible and that one person can make an enormous difference in someone else’s life.”
Dave says he hopes sharing his story nudges someone else toward the same decision.
